Aquahot Res. Inc.

Victim Location 28227

Type of a scam Employment

When the COVID era hit back in March, I saw an ad for a Secret Shopper on FB. I entered my name and address for info to be mailed to me. After that beginning in May, I started receiving text messages from someone named Mark Roland from Whole Foods Evaluation in answer to my application to be a "Secret Shopper". He texted me multiple times, stating my "first assignment" was coming in the mail and to let him know when it arrived.

Monday May 25th, I received a check for $ 2,940.56 and the "assignment". After much investigation and finding out this was a SCAM, I ran the check and the "assignment letter" through a shredder. I texted Mark Roland and told him it was a SCAM and NOT to contact me again. He stopped texting me at that point.

Monday, June 1, I received a 2nd check via Priority Mail with instructions entitled "Customer Service Evaluation Tool (CSET) in the amount of $ 2,950.52. The letter is on Whole Foods Market letterhead, and is instructing me to deposit the check into my bank account, go purchase 5- $500 Nike Gift Cards that = $2,500. The extra $450 is mine to keep and I can get an extra $250 bonus if this assignment is accomplished within 24 hours.

Once the gift cards are purchased, I am to peel the silver scratch-off area on the card & capture an image of the card front & back on my phone. There is a list of details needed for the "survey" from the store the cards are purchased (my choice) and then all that info plus the pictures of the cards are to be e-mailed to the above address. I have done nothing with the letter or check.

This morning, June 4th, I received a text from Mark Ronald, stating the following: "We are very sorry for the inconvenience the payment on the first check was cancelled before the package was delivered to you. That is why you were not able to cash the check so that is why we send you another check and your new package has been delivered to your mailbox via USPS…..Kindly text us on this number 509-266-8829 once you get it." I have NOT texted him back at this point.

I never told him I shredded the first check- I never told him anything except the text I sent that I knew this was a SCAM and not to contact me again. Evidently these people do not give up!!!

After receiving the first check and shredding it, I thought that would be the end of this……however after receiving the 2nd check, I decided to keep it for evidence, and report it to BBB.